DC Comics and Marvel Comics colorist Tamra Bonvillain decided to insult comic book fans and customers calling them “trash.”
Bonvillain colors DC Comics’ Doom Patrol. Tamra colors Multiple Man and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur as well as a number of covers for Marvel Comics.
Bonvillain specifically targeted fans and customers who identify with the Comicsgate label, many of which support both DC Comics and Marvel Comics.
C0mics Gate is trash, and you're trash if you support it in any way.
— Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 12, 2018
Tamra Bonvillain was joined by Emma Houxbois who currently writes for comic news site, Comicosity.
cheers bro i’ll drink to that
— véronique emma houxbois (@EmmaHouxbois) July 12, 2018
The discussion quickly turned from calling all people who identify with Comicsgate “trash” to specifically calling Diversity & Comics a.k.a Richard C. Meyer “trash.”
Except… he doesn’t?
— Josh Epstein (@CrusaderZero6) July 14, 2018
Whether he does or doesn't is irrelevant, he's trash either way.
— Tamra Bonvillain (@TBonvillain) July 14, 2018
Bonvillain and Houxbois aren’t the only ones to attack comic book fans. Marc Lombardi who promotes Shadowline Comics, which publishes through Image Comics also had a few choice words to say about fans who support Comicsgate.
Good morning!
It's always a glorious day when you wake up & realize you didn't have to sell yourself out to a bunch of hateful comicsgate assholes just to pick up 1500 social media followers and fund your eventual indiegogo/kickstarter campaign that you "are still considering."— Marc Lombardi (@marclombardi) July 13, 2018
Shadowline Comics include Rat Queens, The Hunt, Faster Than Light, Power Lines, and Pencil Head.
Those who support Comicsgate have made it very clear they not only support a myriad of creators who are running IndieGoGo and KickStarter campaigns like Diversity & Comics, Ethan Van Sciver, Timothy Lim, Chuck Dixon, and Mitch Breitweiser, but they also support DC, Marvel, and Image Comics. They make that support clear via #MoveTheNeedle on Twitter:
Had to start a twitter account just to #movetheneedle . Black Hops is GREAT! Waited a long time for it to finally come to my local store. Worth the wait. Thanks @POTUSThump and thanks @DiversityAndCmx for the recommend. pic.twitter.com/JcUVxcaS80
— Jenner2057 (@jenner2057) July 13, 2018
My #movetheneedle post for this week, just thanking all of the people who have given me great books to check out. @DiversityAndCmx @DarkFilly @justsomeguycc & @Undrgrnd_Geek pic.twitter.com/IX3dM5fJ55
— DekkuBlock (@DekkuBlock) July 13, 2018
Welp got some issues this week some by @DonalTDeLay mini, 2nd part to @bryanedwardhill Batman, and a certain little nerd told me mj is coming back @YourNerdWonder glad we got @RyanOttley on Spidey #movetheneedle pic.twitter.com/tLxDRijhSq
— Comic-Rust (@Comic_Rust) July 13, 2018
#movetheneedle @DiversityAndCmx late to the party I know #thirdWorldProblems pic.twitter.com/PH9eTeHqv5
— Artesanal Arkham (@Moneacles) July 13, 2018
Wednesday was New Comic Book Day, so I made the weekly visit to @dragonvinetoys. New working schedule meant I couldn't start reading them until today 🙁 Big week with lots of good stuff from @Marvel, @DCComics , @ImageComics, @AntarcticPress, and @NEcomics. #movetheneedle pic.twitter.com/sjoLeGkakP
— James Gardipee (@James_Gardipee) July 13, 2018
#movetheneedle #NCBD @Marvel @DCComics @ImageComics @WaxworkComics By far the most fun is House of wax i've read go buy it when you can! pic.twitter.com/oyrcpOuqGm
— 0zerohero (@01zerohero) July 13, 2018
#MoveTheNeedle a few weeks behind trying to catch up but thanks to @DiversityAndCmx @DCComics creative teams for (Sideways) Carmine di Giandomencio Dan Didio Dan Brown Robert (Hawkman) Venditti Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie & Daniel Henrique and Jeremiah Skipper pic.twitter.com/am2lWNvlTO
— pauls nyc ? (@pauls_nyc) July 13, 2018
#MoveTheNeedle a few weeks behind still trying to catch up but thanks to @DiversityAndCmx @ImageComics @Skybound @RobertKirkman Lorenzo De Felici Annalisa Leoni @RobGuillory Taylor Wells pic.twitter.com/0Yvk1kNvX4
— pauls nyc ? (@pauls_nyc) July 13, 2018
LCS long boxes had some old Maverick issues. #MovetheNeedle pic.twitter.com/ZTogplFxk7
— GrievousError (@ErrorGrievous) July 13, 2018
#movetheneedle pic.twitter.com/uP3ZccQkgE
— Violent&Jokey (@VJokey) July 13, 2018
#movetheneedle @Marvel @DCComics @ImageComics #comic #Marvel #DCComics pic.twitter.com/pNg82CpUoQ
— CB (@heczillaprime) July 13, 2018
Does Tamra Bonvillain and Emma Houxbois really think the folks above who love comics and buy them on a weekly basis are “trash?” Are these folks “hateful comicsgate a**holes” as Marc Lombardi says? Does Tamra Bonvillain speak for Marvel and DC Comics? Do they think their customers are “trash?” Does Shadowline Comics and Image Comics think their customers are “hateful comicsgate a**holes?”
If one thing is clear many fans are supporting independent projects like Jawbreakers – Lost Souls, Cyberfrog: Bloodhoney, Red Rooster: Golden Age, Trump’s Space Force and more. And given that the comic book industry posted a decline in sales over the past year, creators shouldn’t be insulting their customers who are finding other places to spend their money.